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Economy, Discovery, & Innovation

National Park Service, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Candy Waugaman Collection, KLGO Library SS-127-8834
From ancient dinosaur tracks to valuable resources and cultural artifacts, the national parklands of Alaska preserve fascinating histories of economy, discovery, and innovation. The discovery of gold in the Klondike brought tens of thousands of gold seekers North in 1897. Many places in Alaska, like the historic towns of Skagway and Dyea, owe their existence to economic discoveries like the Klondike Gold Rush. Many historic sites and parklands in Alaska have histories heavily affected by fur trapping, fisheries, and other resource-based economic activities. Learn more about these sites and how they have evolved below.